Quick Specs
- Author: Migene Gonzalez-Wippler
- Type: Paperback, 134 pages
- Publisher: Original Publications (1984, continuously in print)
- Best for: Santeria students, researchers, practitioners seeking scholarly grounding
Rituals and Spells of Santeria: Scholarly Authority on a Living Tradition
Migene Gonzalez-Wippler is one of the most prolific and rigorously researched writers on Santeria in the English language. Trained as an anthropologist and herself a Santeria initiate, she has published extensively on the Lukumi tradition, Kabbalistic mysticism, and the psychology of religion. Rituals and Spells of Santeria, first published in 1984 by Original Publications, has been continuously in print for over four decades, which reflects lasting reference value rather than trend-driven popularity. It is a foundational text in the English-language Santeria library.
The book approaches Santeria as what it is: an earth religion with deep roots in Yoruba spiritual practice, transformed through the experience of enslaved West Africans in colonial Cuba into a distinct Afro-Caribbean religious system. Gonzalez-Wippler presents the rituals and spells within their theological framework, grounded in the relationship between practitioners and the Orishas, the divine intermediaries who govern natural forces and human experience. Browse my Santeria books for the full range of titles across Afro-Caribbean traditions.
Anthropological Depth and Practitioner Knowledge Combined
What makes Gonzalez-Wippler’s work consistently valuable is the dual vantage point she brings. Rituals and Spells reflects both her anthropological training and her own experience in Santeria.
The 134-page format is compact and focused. This is not an encyclopedic survey of everything in Santeria, but a targeted examination of the ritual and spellwork dimension of the tradition. Readers who want the broader cosmological and theological context should pair it with her longer work, Santeria: The Religion. Pair these texts with items from my voodoo, hoodoo, and Santeria collection to support an active practice.
How to Use Rituals and Spells of Santeria
How to read and apply this foundational Santeria ritual reference.
- Ground Yourself in the Framework
Start with the book’s overview of Santeria as an earth religion with its roots in Yoruba spiritual practice. Gonzalez-Wippler grounds each ritual and spell in its theological and cultural context before presenting the working details.
- Study the Ritual Structure
Move through the rituals section to understand the ceremonial structure of Santeria practice. She covers the preparation, timing, and materials relevant to specific workings, drawing on both fieldwork observations and her own initiation experience.
- Reference the Spells by Intent
Use the spells section as a practical reference once you understand the broader ritual framework. Gonzalez-Wippler presents traditional workings organized by intent, making it easy to locate the appropriate practice for a given need.
The Tarot Fellow Standard
I carry this because Gonzalez-Wippler combines anthropological training with initiation experience, and the book has stayed in print for over forty years. For anyone studying Santeria seriously, whether as a practitioner deepening their understanding or a researcher seeking reliable source material, this is a title that belongs on the shelf. Santeria is a living tradition, and I offer this book as an entry point, not a substitute for learning from practitioners and community.
Frequently Asked Questions
Gonzalez-Wippler first published it in 1984 and it has remained in print since through Original Publications. Its four-decade longevity reflects its status as a foundational reference in the English-language Santeria library.
She combines anthropological fieldwork with personal experience as a Santeria initiate. That dual perspective gives the book academic rigor alongside detail from within the tradition.
This book concentrates on the ritual and spellwork dimension of Santeria. Her broader title, Santeria: The Religion, covers cosmology, history, and theology in greater depth for readers who want that foundational context first.
Santeria is a Yoruba-derived Afro-Caribbean religion developed in colonial Cuba among enslaved West Africans. Its ritual system centers on the Orishas, divine intermediaries governing natural forces. Gonzalez-Wippler covers this in full context.
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